Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks

Recipe by Sarah Jampel

Chewy from semolina flour and tender from ‘00’ Pizza Flour, these cheesy breadsticks are delightful even before you realize each one is filled with stretchy mozzarella cheese. Our inspiration for this recipe comes from the beloved cafeteria food known as Bosco Sticks, which are brushed with butter, sprinkled with Parmesan, and served with marinara sauce for dipping. They’re best devoured fresh from the oven when the cheese is at its meltiest, but we don’t think eating them quickly will be a problem.

Prep
20 mins
Bake
15 to 22 mins
Total
4 hrs
Yield
eight 6” breadsticks
Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks  - select to zoom
Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks  - select to zoom
Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks  - select to zoom
Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks  - select to zoom

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, yeast, Pizza Dough Flavor, and salt. Add the water and oil and stir to make a shaggy dough, then use a bowl scraper or flexible spatula to stir vigorously until the dough smooths out.   

  2. Cover the bowl and set it aside for 30 minutes, then perform a bowl fold: Grab a section of dough, pull it upwards slightly, then press it down into the middle. Repeat this process 6 to 8 times, working your way around the bowl, then turn the dough over so the smooth side is up. 

  3. Cover the dough, set it aside for 15 minutes, then repeat the bowl fold.  

  4. Repeat step 3 once more so that you’ve performed 3 folds over the last hour. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise, undisturbed, for 1 hour, until puffy and voluminous.  

  5. To assemble the breadsticks: Lightly flour the dough’s surface, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 pieces (about 70g each). With lightly floured fingers and working with one piece of dough at a time, press and/or stretch each piece into a rough 5" to 6" x 3" rectangle with the long side facing you.   

  6. Pour 2 tablespoons (15g) of the Formaggio Italiano cheese blend, if using, into a shallow bowl. Place a piece of string cheese into the blend, pressing to adhere it as best you can. Position the string cheese on top of the dough, sprinkling any bare sections with a little more of the cheese blend.  

  7. Fold in the left and right sides of the dough to cover the ends of the string cheese. Now roll the dough up from the long side to cover the cheese completely. Pinch firmly to seal any seams, then gently roll the tube across the surface to even it out as best you can. Place in a Sub Sandwich Roll Pan (see “tips,” below) and repeat with the rest of dough and cheese. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. 

  8. Place the Silicone Baking Mold on an ovenproof wire cooling rack set on a baking sheet. (If you don’t have a wire rack, place the mold directly on the baking sheet.) 

  9. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Breadsticks will have shrunk slightly in the oven. 

  10. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of the Formaggio Italiano with the olive oil. Add any extra blend to the marinara sauce and warm gently.  

  11. Brush the cheesy breadsticks with the olive oil mixture when they come out of the oven. Let cool slightly, then serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping. These are best served fresh! 

Tips from our Bakers

  • We find the Sub Sandwich Roll Pan produces breadsticks with the nicest, most even shapes and the crispest bottoms. But if you don’t have one, you can bake the breadsticks directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (They might not be as neat-looking!) Check them for doneness after 15 minutes.  

  • The Formaggio Italiano packs herby, tangy flavor into these breadsticks. Skip it for a milder bread, or replace it with Pizza Seasoning, Herbes de Provence, or your favorite blend of garlic powder, oregano, and chile flakes.